Stringed musical instrument



(NOM0de1.)

G. W. VAN DUSEN.

STRINGBD MUS IGAL INSTRUMENT.

N0. 3.63.564. Patented May 24, 1887.

E b 17 z WITNESSES: INVENTOR M ai/fmawn I BY dawn/W ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE WV. VAN DUSEN, OF BROOKLYN, NE? YORK.

STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,564, dated May 24, 1887.

Application tiled September 8, 1886. Serial No. 212,991.

will assure the maintenance of the strings in practically perfect harmony and pitch oftone.

The invention will first be particularly described, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures,

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a front view. Fig. 3 is a detail plan view; and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the central part of the duplex string ofthe instrument, showing how it is flattened where it passes over the rounded string-head on the equalizing-lever. A frame, A, of a stringed musical instrument-a piano, for instance-4s fitted with a sounding-board, B, in any approved way, as is usual in musical instruments of this class.

At the head of the frame A there is fixed a metal plate, 0, which has a groove, 0, in which the knife edge bearing d of the equalizing-lever D rests. The short arm d of this lever has a head, (1", which is grooved transversely at its upper. edge to give support to the kite-edge bearing a of a rounded metal plate, E, which I will call the string-head, as the central flattened part f of the instrumentstring F is passed over the conve'xed top finished edge of the head. The two end portions, 1 of the string F pass downward through holes in a bridge, G, held on the sounding board B, said string-holes in the bridge being made to cause both end parts, f f", of the string F to lie in the same plane or parallel with the face of the sounding-board below or beyond the bridge G, where the hammer of the instrument is to strike the string. After passing through the bridge G the two parts (No model.)

ff of the string F pass over a rest-bar, H, held to the frame, and thence to tuning-pins I J, fixed in the frame, the partf of thest-ring being attached to the pin I andthe partf" of the string being connected to the pin J (See Fig. 2 of the drawings.) The long arm d of the equalizing-lever Dhas attached to its end at k the upper .end of a spring, K, the lower 'end of which is eounnected to a wire, L, which is attached to a tuning-pin,M, fixed in the back of the stringframe A.

The pins I J, when turned by a key, serve to bring the two end parts, ff, of the string F into perfect harmony or unison of tone, and the pin M when turned properly pitches the tone higher or lower; hence the pin M isthe tuning pin of the duplex string.

I give considerable length to the knife-edge bearings of the lever Don the frame and of the string-head on the lever to enable them to stand the severe strains to which they are subjeeted' in use. r

The drawings represent a single string with its unison and pitch tuning connections, which latter will be duplicated for each duplex string F in an instrument.

The operation is as follows: \Ve will suppose that the parts are in relative positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The string F will be in tension,caused by the drawing up of its two ends, ff by the pins I J, and the drawing on the lever D by the spring K and wire L when the pin M is turned. It will be remembered that the normal tendency of the spring K is to contract or shorten and draw down on the long arm of the lever D. The duplex string F will now be brought to perfect unison or harmony of tone by operating the pins I J, and the pin M will be turned to draw on the lever D through the spring K, for bringing the string F to its proper pitch relative to the other strings of the instrument.

Should the string-frame A B expand in direction of the length of the string F, the short arm (1 of the lever D will move downward in direction of arrow 1 as the lever swings 011 its bearings at d c, and the long arm (1 of the lever will move the other way, or in direction of the arrow 2. This movement of the lever brings the edges of the bearings e d of the string-head E and lever D more nearly to horizontal alignment, and consequently lengthens the short arm of the lever and shortens its long arm, and at the same time the tension of the spring K is increased, so that it exerts greater pulling strain on the string F through the lever to fully compensate for the increased length of the short arm of the lever, and the result is that the string is really under like tension all thetime; hcnceitkeeps in proper pitch of tone any tone to which it may have been brought by operating its pin M.

Should the string-frame contract, the lever D will move in direction opposite that last above described, and as the short arm of the lever lengthens its long arm will shorten, and the tension of the spring Kwillrelax to accommodate the changed leverage, and with like result in keeping the string in perfect pitch of tone.

The connection of the spring K to the long arm of thelever D gives an advantage in pitching the string, as considerable axial movement of the tuning-pin M is required to alter the note given by the string; hence extremely delicate manipulation of the tuning-key is not required, and the string may be easily brought to proper tone.

By repeated experiments I have discovered that a duplex string-01, in other words, a string passed over a head or pin at its center and having its two ends connected to indepeudcntkeys-will maintain perfect unison or harmony of tone far better when the central part of the string which passes over the string head or pin is flattened or plated out. This result-,1 be1ieve,is due to the flattened part of the string being very much more pliable or flexible than a rounded part of the string would be; consequently any unequal tension on the two pins to which the ends of the string are connected cannot be compensated for when the string is not flattened where it is-bent over or around the pin, as this rounded central part of the string cannot freely move on the head or pin, but will kink and bind thereon, while when the string is flattened where it passes over the head or pin the string is free to adjust itself on the head or pin without kinking or unequal strains as the expansion or contraction of the string-frame occurs.

I. find that this principle of construetionviz., the flattening of the string where it is doubled over or around a head or pin-is particularly valuable when used in connection with the string-head E, having a knife-edge bearing on a compensating-lever, D, arranged as hereinbefore described.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in a stringed musical instrument, of a frame, a duplex string sup ported at its doubled center on one arm of the lever, and connected at opposite ends to separate tuning-pins, a spring connected at one end to the other arm of the lever and at its other end to a tuning-pin, and said string flattened where it doubles over its lever-support, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, in a stringed musical. instrument, of a frame, a lever fulcrumed thereon, a rounded head fulcrumed on one arm of the lever, a duplex string supported at its doubled center onthe rounded head and connected at opposite ends to separate tuningpins, and a spring connected at one end to the other arm of the lever and at its other end to a tuningpin, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.'

3. The combination, in a stringed musical instrument, of a frame, a lever fulcrumcd th ereon, a rounded head fulerumed on one arm of the lover, a duplex string having aflattened central portion and supported at said flattened portion on the rounded head,and connected at opposite ends to separate tuningpins, and a spring connected at one end to the other arm of the lever and at its other end to a tuningpin, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

4. In a stringed musical instrument, the combination of the frame A, a lever, D, fulcrumed thereon, a rounded head, E, fuleru med on the lever D, a string, F, doubled over the head E, tuning-pins I J, fitted in the frame and to which the ends of the string are connected, a spring, K, connected to the lever D, a wire, L, attached to the spring K, and a tuningpiu, M, fitted in the frame, and to which the wire L is connected, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

5. In a stringed musical instrument, the combination of the frame A, lever D, stringhcad E, duplex string F, bridge G, rest 11, pins I J, spring K, wire L, and pin M, all arranged for operation substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

6. In a stringed musical instrument, a duplex string flattened where it doubles over or around a head or pin, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

7. In a stringed musical instrument, a duplex string flattened where it doubles over or around a header pin, and connected at opposite ends to separate tuning-pins, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

GEORGE WV. VAN DUSEN.

lVitnesses:

HENRY L. GoonwIN, O. Snnowrorc.

its 

